The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2015, and October 31, 2016 (see FAQ for exceptions), are automatically nominated for the 2016 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on November 3, 2016, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

Is it possible? Too many leprechauns? It is when their infernal tapping from busily making fairy shoes keeps the whole town awake. When Finn returns home to Dingle, he finds his village turned upside down and sleep-deprived. If he wants some of his mom’s soda bread, he needs a plan to stop the noise so she can get a good night’s sleep. Can Finn convince the leprechauns that all their gold has disappeared and strike a deal that if they leave town, he’ll return it? Cue the rainbow. The jaunty oil-on-paper illustrations embellish the usual depictions of leprechauns, so pudgy-cheeked here that they invite pinching. Boxed text on one side apposes bordered scenes on the other, with double spreads stretching out the humor. “Gilty” of being a good read, despite the lack of anything to suggest whether it is an original story or a folktale. (Picture book. 4-7)

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